Activists on Thursday alleged that with the Uttar Pradesh government “intimidating” citizens who were protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC), a “reign of terror” was prevailing in the State.
Addressing the media, activists demanded a Supreme Court-monitored SIT probe into police action in the State.
Organised under the banner of “Hum Bharat Ke Log: National Action Against Citizenship Amendment”, which includes several rights groups, activist Harsh Mander said that the Centre was spreading “blatant lies” especially with regard to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement on the non-existence of detention centres in the country.
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He also added that the government could use details collected through the National Population Register (NPR) to identify people as “doubtful citizens” and then use the information for the NRC.
“There is so much of distrust with what the Prime Minister is saying,” said Mr. Mander. “He has said that there are no detention centres in the country, while fact of the matter is that I have visited such centres myself. This kind of blatant lying is unprecedented. First, they tried to communalise the issue and then crush dissent with the use of excessive force,” he contended.
Referring to police action at the Aligarh Muslim University, Mr. Mander asserted that the State was at “open war with a segment of its citizens.”
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Activist Kavita Krishnan, who was part of a fact-finding committee that visited Meerut where people have died during the anti-CAA protests, alleged that the police force was framing “false charges” against people.
“The families of those who have died are still under shock and they have still not received the post-mortem reports. They are mostly single earner families living in extreme destitution. A 20-year-old e-rickshaw driver has been named as the “mastermind” while the fact of the matter is that he was on his way home when he got shot at,” said Ms. Krishnan.
Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav added, “State-sponsored attacks need to stop and there is a need for a credible and independent inquiry by a SC-monitored SIT. The National Human Rights Commission and the National Minorities Commission should also take cognisance of the matter.”
An appeal signed by film personalities was also read out by actors Swara Bhaskar and Zeeshan Ayyub, in which the group sought a judicial inquiry into the incidents in Uttar Pradesh.